Swirls & Pearls

Well I've managed to do another card today - albeit a quick one! I took delivery of some essential craft goodies this morning and one item that really excited me was the piece of card the lovely lady that packed my goodies had popped in the package to stop it squashing! The fact that I can get excited over something, that a little while ago I'd have called rubbish, I blame on you lot - my fellow crafters ;)

I've used a KennyK image that I'd Water Coloured ages ago - whilst in Penrith Crafts back in July actually with Helen & Uma, the day after Samantha's Wedding!

What do think of my FREE card blank then!

As I'd printed the image so big (the bigger the better as far as I'm concerned with KennyK's fantastic digi images!) the card didn't have much room for anything else.

I punched a scalloped edge and used the waste for the opposite side and also the tiny pieces to highlight the scallops.

I then found some ribbon to pick out the colour I'd used for her eyes.

I'd like to enter this card for...

Kenny K's Krafty Girlz - Swirls & Pearls

Thanks so much for visiting and enjoy the rest of your weekend

My Top Tip Tuesday Doily Flower!

Hi :)

If you've been over to Top Tip Tuesday to join in with our new type of challenge blog you'll recognise this next picture!

It's one of Leanne's Doily Flowers - well it's actually one I made last night following her tutorial - and it was sooooooo easy!

I've not put it on a card yet - it's still in the 'topper' form - but I couldn't wait to show you!

Thanks Leanne for the fab tutorial and I can't wait to make more 'Top Tip' toppers!!!

If you've not yet visited Top Tip Tuesday - pop over now to pick up tips shared by loads of clever people out there in Blogland!

A Challenge Card At Last!!!

Hi All,

At last I've managed to do a challenge card - not the 2 or 3 I was planning - but there's always this weekend!

It was my Gran's birthday today (well yesterday, as it's now 'stupid o'clock'!) and the sketch over at Lili Of The Valley was just perfect - as was the LOTV die-cut I used. I just love their selection of die-cut images, they are beautiful!

I've used some gorgeous flowers and lace from WOC who are sponsoring the LOTV challenge this week - isn't that lace fab!

I cut the image and matt with my Nesties and have used some Gemstones card.

Thanks for popping over and don't forget to visit the new Challenge Blog that I'm lucky enough to be part of Top Tip Tuesday where you can win prizes for sharing your tips!

Top Tip Tuesday has arrived!!!

Good Morning!!!

I do hope my practise run with Mr Blogger is paying off!

Well today is the first every Top Tip on Top Tip Tuesday - How exciting!

If you've not yet come across TTT we are a new type of Challenge Blog - rather than asking you to make a card or project with a particular theme or brand we are giving prizes away for sharing your tips!

How cool is that?

A blog full of new tips every week - and the possibility of winning a prize too!

Each week the TTT Team... Leanne, Anne, Dawn, Moriah & myself - will take it in turns to pass on one of our favourite tips. You have the chance of winning 1 of 2 prizes by adding one of your favorite tips - check out the TTT Blog for full details.

The Top Tip Tuesday Blog was the idea of the wonderful Leanne and as the owner of TTT she is the first of us to pass on her tip...

 A tutorial on making Doily Flowers......you have to check them out - they are fab!

And as this is our first week we have 3 fantastic sponsors...

Whiff of Joy

Wild Rose Studio

Stitchy Bear Stamps

...pop over to check out the fab prizes but don't forget your pen and pad as there will be a shed load of tips to collect too!

It's out of the bag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...............The reason I had to practise with Mr Blogger!

I'm on the DT of

How cool is that?

Click on the icon to pop over now for an intro to the whole TTT Team

(and the best thing is Leanne has the only photo of me to ever enter Blogland!)

Our new challenge blog starts tomorrow

See you then!

I Need To Practise!!!

Something very exciting is happening soon........................and I need to make sure I know how to get Mr Blogger to post for me! Therefore I am practising the practice of schedule posting (can't you tell I had to look up in the dictionary to see if I was practising or practicing!!!)


Visit very soon to see what I'm waffling on about!


Edited to correct my spelling! Note to self - make sure I use spellcheck before scheduling!

Todays Nappy Cake!

I know it's only just 'tomorrow' but I couldn't wait to show you!

Here's the Nappy Cake I made earlier and delivered to a very happy lady :)

Socks rolled into candles and placed into booties.....

Here it is wrapped and ready to go.....

and a close-up of the card attached.....

The inside of the Recipe Card, listing all that's included and the sizes.....

I LOVE making these - although I'm sure I've told you that before!

I'm planning on getting a challenge or card done tomorrow - after the Christening - and will also show you the Christening card I managed to do - didn't get the crib done but I did manage a candle :)

It's the Weekend!!!!!!!!!!!

....and I'm so glad I've got a day when I don't have deadlines to meet (well I do but it's only a little one!), or anywhere I NEED to be (again I do, but it's only a delivery!) What am I like!
 It's just it feels like months since I had a weekend when I wasn't somewhere else, or having to bury myself in Wedding Stationery ALL day!!! That's probably why I feel so relaxed today...I know I'm not going to be up till 4 in the morning getting to the next stage for the following day!
We have a Christening to go to tomorrow, with a bit of luck I'll get the card done but I think he'll have to wait for his crib!



I have another Nappy Cake to make today and deliver this evening - so will post a picture of it tomorrow, but here's the one I did last weekend for my sister......

and here's my new niece Amy.....

The Nappy Cake I made for Amy was a very 'quick' one as I only had enough nappies to make 2 smaller tiers - so I didn't have the 'room' to wrap loads of clothes etc around it. I quite like it tho - and it's given me the idea of doing themed ones - if I'd used towels instead of the 2 blankets on this one it would've been a 'Bath-time' cake. They'll work out much cheaper too - so I may make some up, rather than making them to order.

Right, off to roll more nappies for today's cake - this one wont be a 'quick' one as it's for a works collection - better go and find my large cake boards!!!!!!!

The Wedding......

At last, I don't have to think of Wedding Stationery 24/7................my niece's wedding was yesterday! It all went perfectly - and even the sun came for the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've got to sort through the photo's properly to get the right stationery pics but here's a few for tasters!

There are other pieces too! I'll add the details when I show them all properly!

Off to do a bit more H*******K before I start the Nappy Cake I want to take to my sister for my brand new niece tomorrow!!!!!!!

Back from Hols!!!

Hi all,

I've been so lost the last week without my blogging fix! I did take my laptop and a 'Dongle' to keep updated on everything whilst I was away but it didn't work out quite as I'd expected!


The nice man in the phone shop told me £10 pay-as-you-go on a dongle gives 1 Mega-giggle-pixie thingy of Internet and on average, that would give 1 hour of 'normal' web-browsing every day for a month :)

Got to the caravan Sunday evening - set everything up and did some hopping - great. Monday morning I logged on to check out some places to visit and just as I'd finished checking the train times to Barmouth my screen was rudely interrupted with a .....'You have no available data' message!!!!!..... OMG I'd used one months allowance in less that 12 hours! Obviously 'normal' browsing doesn't include blogs with all of those fabulous pictures!!! .....Either that or someone else on the site had hacked into my dongle! I don't think I was 'dongle-hacked' tho - I did do quite a bit of hopping on the Sunday night as I always have the '1st night away insomnia'! As much as I was tempted to 'top-up' my dongle I didn't give in - I would have ended up spending more on Internet whilst on holiday than I did on  Latte's and Mocha's otherwise!!!



I've got a busy week ahead with the last of the Wedding orders ( I've had another enquiry for next year!), so wont be around much - but I promise September will be a 'Carol's Colossal Challenge Card Catch-up'! I'm going to get as many done as I physically can!!!


As a little close I thought I'd share a photo or 2 I took whilst away.....

The view from our caravan

This was taken outside but the huge bay window of the caravan is the best place to spend a few hours!

Friday 20th Aug sunset - I was up to my knees in the water, WITH my trousers on I must add....................
Well I couldn't get the waves crashing into the posts whilst still dry!

Advice Please.........Photo Tents???

Hi All,

Hope your weekend is starting well. I've not got a card today - not had one for quite a few days.......Wedding Number 3 is creeping ever closer so that is taking priority at the moment.



However I am after some advice from all of you wonderful crafters.


Photo Tents!!!!

Photos look so much more professional when they're used that I feel I need one! But, I'm not willing to spend the prices I've found them at!

I've found a few sites with 'DIY tents' the best one so far being......

http://www.mostlycolor.ch/2010/02/cheap-green-diffuse-paper-binder-clip.html



But I just want to know whether any of you have any ideas or links you'd like to share with me?

Risque - or is that 'Risky'!

Cor Blimey Madame! What do you think about this then???

If you've not yet seen this Digi delight her name is 'Allora Von D' and she is from Kenny K's new Gothic Angel range - I saw them a few days ago and had to buy some - I was very good and only got 5!

It was hubby's birthday yesterday so this seemed ideal - and I must be honest, he's never taken as much interest in any other card I've made him before!

I coloured her with my Promarkers rather than WColours as I felt a 'depth' of colour was needed. The black starry backing is some packaging card!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges....

Kenny K's - On The Dark Side (make sure you pop over and check out the blog hop!)

Simon Says Challenge - 'Sing it Baby' (a song that get's stuck in your head!) "Hot Stuff" from The Full Monty!

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge - Out of This World........something you are not going to see in the real world (and unfortunately my hubby wont be seeing a fishnet clad diva in his world as long as I'm still in it!!!)

I've Been Playing Again :)

....and at last used one if my many unused stamps - why, oh why, do I feel the NEED to buy them as soon as they are released and then don't get around to making a card with them for months!!! tut tut!

This is the gorgeous Charlotte from WOJ - she is a delight to colour. I've used my Promarkers and distressed around the edges with some Dist-inks.

The backing (and larger flower) are a paper that I got from my local craft shop - it's a paper with a sort of 'flocked suede' type coating - it feels like brushed suede (well sort of!).

A few challenges I'd like to enter this card for...


Whiff of Joy - Fuzz!

Craftalicious - Own Flowers (does it count that punched a few petals and made them into a large flower?)

Ellephantastic - Distressing (around the edge of the image)

Dutch Dare  - Anything Goes

Here's Wedding Number 2..........

I was only asked a few weeks ago to do these pieces - the Groom works in the same place as me and didn't realise I did Weddings till he heard me speaking to someone. He told me they were having problems finding a Table Plan. I gave him some samples of my work to take home and they came to see me the following week.


I ended up doing The Table Plan, Menus, Menu Choices (a reminder to guests of what they'd ordered), Name Cards and Table Names. I didn't photograph the Table Names as they were quite simply double-side printed A5.


Please excuse the photo of the Table Plan - they look stunning done on a mirror - but are a nightmare to photograph! It's the happy couple you can see!!!!

They are a big rugby couple and wanted to get a rugby theme in somewhere alongside the butterflies - so decided on calling the tables after rugby positions!

Here's the rest....

Now I can spend a week or 2 'playing', catching up with some challenges and doing some 'lazy' crafting before I have to knuckle down to tackle the last leg of my nieces stationery!!!